Утепление домов для уязвимых семей: результаты проекта «Зелёные дома Центральной Азии»

Home Insulation for Vulnerable Families: Results of the “Green Homes of Central Asia” Project

The СAMР Alatoo PF has completed home insulation works in the suburbs of Bishkek (Jal and Kok-Jar) as well as in six ayil aimaks of the Chuy Region. The activities were carried out within the framework of the Green Homes of Central Asia project.

The project is supported by the Small Grants and Climate Innovation Fund (SGCIF) and funded by the United Kingdom government as part of its international development assistance. The Fund is part of the regional programme Climate Risk Management in Central Asia, implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).

In total, 20 homes were insulated. With the support of local authorities, families for whom home insulation is a serious financial burden were selected. These include large and single-parent households, as well as people with disabilities.

The works included insulation of walls and roofs, replacement of windows, and renovation of facades. All activities were completed within a short timeframe, but, as homeowners themselves note, the insulation was done with high quality and durability. Families have already felt the difference this winter.

In the village of Leninskoye (Novo-Pokrovsky ayil aimak), the project team and local craftsmen insulated four houses. One of them belongs to rural activist Batma Kuandykova. As a pensioner, she supports her children and grandchildren; one of her sons is unable to find permanent work due to health issues.

Previously, the house was heated using a coal stove, underfloor heating in some rooms, and an air conditioner. A significant share of the family budget was spent on coal and electricity.

“They replaced five windows with plastic ones, insulated the walls with foam panels, and renovated the facade. After that, we stopped using the stove and the air conditioner — now we rely only on underfloor heating. And the house looks very beautiful from the outside,” Batma Kuandykova shares.

In the Tash-Moynok ayil aimak, three families were selected from among 43 vulnerable households. According to the rural administration, these families have lived in the area for decades, in houses built during the Soviet period. Repairs were carried out whenever possible, but modern energy-efficient solutions remained out of reach.

Years ago, pensioner Kamila Musaeva had to sell a cow to partially repair her house and reinforce the walls and foundation. Over time, however, the window frames deteriorated, the glass panes disappeared, and plastic film was stretched across the openings instead. To keep the heat in, the windows were covered with thick curtains, leaving the house dark even during the day.

“After the windows were replaced, the house became warm and bright. I don’t even want to hang curtains anymore — let the sunlight fill the rooms,” the homeowner says.

The Smakeev family relies on stove heating. The head of the household equipped a separate room for the stove, while maintaining the fire became the responsibility of his wife Aizada, who works and cares for five children.

“They insulated our roof. Now we heat the house much less often. Before, we used a lot of coal, but it was still cold in the mornings. Now the heat stays inside, and the children don’t get cold — especially in the living room and bedrooms,” Aizada notes.

One of the project’s goals is to reduce CO₂ emissions. Even partial insulation lowers energy consumption, increases climate resilience of homes, and directly improves the health and economic well-being of families.

In the future, several houses in the project area will be fully insulated. They will serve as demonstration examples of energy-efficient solutions adapted to rural conditions. In addition, specialists together with architects will develop designs for five energy-efficient houses for residents planning to build new homes.